Basket ball backstop



Sept. 12, 1933. E, J GROSS 1,926,674

BASKET BALL BACKSTOP Filed March 19, 1931 2 SheetsSheet 1 Sept. 12, E J GRQSS I BASKET BALL BACKSTOP 517267 J Grass.

' Patented Sept. 12, "1933 1.926374. I v I a a BASKET BALLBAoKs'roii I V Elmerjr Gross, Chicago, 111., assignor to Chicago Gymnasium Equipment Company, Ghic'agm; v 111., a corporation of Illinois l. Application March is, 1931. Serial No. 23m

,3 Claims. (01. 273-4) This invention relates to the supporting struc ture for basket ball boards,and is of that class for'use in gymnasiums, wherein it is desirable v to suspend the board and frame structure'there- I 5 for from-an overhead support;'and to provide for swinging the supporting frame'and board from a vertical operating position to an upper horizontal position where the board may bezout of the way and out of the line of vision .in case 910' the gymnasium is to be used for auditorium purposes. I g II I The objects of the invention are to provide a construction of this classwhich is of neatappearance and simple design and free from like- {1'5} lihood of breakage, particularly when lowering the structure from'horizontal to verticalposition.

breaks, provision is "made for checking and cushioning the downward swing of the board 520, and its support. A further. purpose of themvention is to provide telescoping inclined rear braces -for the board and its supporting frame.

arranged to provide a pneumatic cushioning. means for easing the downward motion of the '26 frame from horizontal to vertical positions.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by means. of a construction illustrated bythe drawings, in which: I

Figure 1 is a side view of the improved basket ball backstop construction.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same 'withthe board partly broken away. I

Fig.3 is an enlarged sectional detail in front elevation to show a bearing construction of telescoping diagonal rear braces of the backstop.

Basket ballbackstops of the class to which this inventionrelates comprise the three prin- -cipalelements of the board, hanger frame supports by means of which the board is suspended from the ceiling beams or other frame supporting means, and inclined bracing means extending rearwardly and upwardly from the bottom ofthe board hanger frame to the ceiling.

The present improvement relates particularly to the construction of these inclined. braces, i

which, in the present case, consist of telescop ingmembers to provide for the required exten- V sion of such inclined braces when the construc-] tion is swung upwardly to horizontal position parallel with the ceiling; and to provide by these extensible telescoping members a pneumatic cushioning arrangement for the purpose of safety and to allow an easy action when lowering the backstop to its vertical position. The pneumatic cushioning means further serves torelieve the In case the hoisting line is. released, "or' at its lowerend to afittinglfisecured to one of' the board supporting "members 2. l

operator of some ofjthe.apparent..weight' of: the V 1 construction when it; is moving downwardly, as the air isreleasedfrom the telescoping means through restricted air outlets therein. f

Referring to the, drawings, a basket ball board 1 is shown rigidly secured to a frame consisting mainly of a pair of hangers 2 depending from hinged connections3, with fixed supports 4 atthe upperends ofhangers 2. The board 1 is securedto-pads 5, at its;corners, which are integral with'j collars .6 surrounding and fixed to the hangers 2. The hangers 2 are preferably connected togethenas shown Fig. 2by. a hori-j zontal brace land diagonal braces-8. For the v 1 purposeof raising and lowering the structure by swinging it around the hinges 3,,a cable 9 is attached, to the horizontal brace? and leads upwardly therefrom to an overhead pulley, and from there to ahoisting'winch, not shown.

For the purpose of bracing the board and its supporting structure when in vertical position, telescoping elements lflextend rearwardly and upwardly from the lower 'ends of thehangers 2 to hinges 11 on the fixed supports 12. The supports 12;-like the supports'4, may be made. in'various forms for attachment to the ceiling beams, joists 1 or struts, or overhead pipes. As,

ranged for being clamped to fixed horizontalpipes 13.. The outer tube 14 of each telescoping is. l

shown inthe drawings, these members are ar-. N

member 10 is connected at its upper end to the hinge ll, and the inner, tube or bar '15, which is slidable'withinthe tube 14, is pivotally connected The telescoping members Hand 15 areof such internal and external diameters as to provide clearance between the same for free relative movementgbut the member 14 carries a bearing 17 at its lower end, which more exactly .fits the inner tube 15. This bearing member is split'at itsupper end as shown at 18, in Fig. 3, and is provided with. ears through which pass the bolts 20, by means of which, the bearing is'securely clamped to the tube 14-... It is also preferably ;provided with felts 19 for carryingsa lubricant and making a fairly airtight seal between .the bearing and the tube 15. When the construction is. swung downwardly from'its horizontal to its vertical'position, the tube 15 slides upwardly in lower end of tube 15 is closed by'the socket member 20, by means of "which the tube is pivotally attached to'the fitting 16."The air which is compressed in tube 14 is released at the desired I the tube 14, and compresses the air therein. The

together in the frame bracing position, theltube 15 is perforated at 24 to receive a locking bolt 25, slidable within a boss 26 formed on' the bearing 17 and carrying a spring2'7 for urging the bolt inwardly. Attached to the heads of each of the bolts 25 is perforated bent metal element 28,

by means of which the bolts are connected together by a chain'29. Depending from the chain 29 is a pull chain 30, which when pulled downwardly serves to withdraw the locking bolts from thetapertures 24 and permit the structure to be.

swung upwardly to its horizontal position.

Thus, in the operation of the construction above described, if it isdesired to raise it from the vertical to the horizontal position where it will be out of theway, chain 30 is pulled downwardly; and then the construction may be swung upwardly by means of the cable 9. In lowering the backstop from a position along the ceiling to the vertical position, as shown in Figspl and 2, the tube 15, which is pivotally attached to theuprightmembers 2, slides within the tube 141, compressing the airth'ereinand thus'cushioning the descent of the backstop construction. I The rate of descent is determined by the leakage of air through the per forations 21. Thisaircushioning arrangement prevents the jar which would occur if the hoisting cable issuddenly released, and avoids the danger of breakage through such action."

I Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described,

tion as defined by the following claims. 1

' I claim; 7

1.A basket ball backstop construction comprising a board carrying frame, an overhead support to which said frame is pivotally attached, bracing means extending rearwardly and upwardly from the lower end of said frame, said bracing, means being pivotally attached at a fixed point'tojthe lower end of said frame and pivotally connected at its upper end to an overhead support and comprising telescoping elements,

1 said telescoping elements being arranged to com- 'means being pivotally attached at a fixed point to the lower end of said frame and pivotally connected 'atits upper end to anloverhead support and comprising telescoping elements, said tele scoping elements being arranged to compress the air between thesame in one direction of. relative movement between the elements, and means for releasing the air from between said elements at a 1 1 predetermined rate.:

-3. A basket ball backstop comprising a board supporting frarne pivotally supported at its 11ppe r end to an overhead support, rear braces for said frame pivotally attached at a fixed point to th'e'lower end of, the frame and extending reara wardly and upwardly to an overheadsupport and havingpivotal connections therewith, said rear braces each comprising telescoping members, a

, spring actuated latching element for each of said telescoping braces, andmeans for simultaneously releasing said latching elements.

ELMER J. GROSS; 

